Ontario Universities With Co-op Programs: 2027 Comparison
University of Waterloo campus in Ontario
The useful question is not whether a university says it offers co-op, but how the exact program admits, supports, and evaluates its students.

Work-integrated learning

Ontario Universities With Co-op Programs: 2027 Comparison

Compare 15 Ontario universities with co-op programs by exact degree examples, direct or later entry, work-term structure, fees, job-search model, and international-student eligibility. The exact program matters more than the university-wide label.

Reviewed August 1, 2026 · Checked against the primary sources below · How we review guides

Key facts

Universities compared
Fifteen Ontario universities with program examples and first-party co-op sources.
Entry model
Some programs admit from high school; others use a competitive application after first year.
Work-term pattern
Models range from repeated four-month terms to one longer internship or placement.
Employment
Students compete for jobs; admission to co-op is not an employment guarantee.

Three work-integrated learning models to compare

Start with the entry model, then verify work-term length, fees, job-search support, and what happens if a placement is not secured.

  1. 1

    Direct-entry co-op

    Apply to the co-op stream from high school and follow its scheduled work terms.

  2. 2

    Later-entry co-op

    Apply after first year using university grades, prerequisites, and available space.

  3. 3

    Long internship

    Complete one extended paid placement, such as Queen's 12–16 month QUIP model.

Swipe or scroll horizontally to follow every step.

Direct answer

Ontario universities with co-op programs include 15 options compared below

Waterloo, McMaster, Western, Guelph, Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario Tech, Windsor, Laurier, Brock, Toronto Metropolitan, Lakehead, Laurentian, and Nipissing offer co-op in selected undergraduate programs. Queen's offers the 12- to 16-month QUIP internship in eligible degrees. The exact program matters: some routes are direct entry from high school, while others require a competitive application after first year or later.

Which Ontario universities have co-op programs?

This is a program-level comparison, not a ranking. Follow the internal university guide and the first-party co-op source in each row before choosing an OUAC program.

Swipe or scroll horizontally to compare every co-op model.

Program examples, entry timing, and work-term structure at Ontario universities with co-op programs
UniversityCo-op program examplesTypical entry modelWork-term pattern to verify
University of WaterlooOfficial co-op sourceCo-op routes span Arts, Engineering, Environment, Health, Mathematics, and Science.Direct entryApply directly to a co-op degree from high school; the admission offer confirms the stream.Four to six work terms, usually alternating four-month study and work periods.
McMaster UniversityOfficial co-op sourceEngineering, iBioMed, Computer Science, BTech, Commerce, Science, and selected Social Sciences routes.Mixed entryMixed model: Engineering can be selected through OUAC or added later, BTech is mandatory, and other faculties use program-specific admission.Engineering designations normally require at least 12 registered months; other faculties publish their own sequences.
Queen's UniversityOfficial co-op sourceSmith Engineering, honours Arts and Science, honours Computing, and Health Sciences through QUIP.Later entryEligible students register after entering Queen's and completing second or third year; QUIP is not direct-entry co-op.One paid, full-time 12- to 16-month internship followed by a return to academic study.
Western UniversityOfficial co-op sourceEngineering, Science and Basic Medical Sciences, Social Science and DAN Management, plus faculty-specific internships across more than 45 programs.Later entryStudents enter an eligible degree first, then apply through the faculty's in-course process; Western does not advertise one universal direct-entry co-op stream.Faculty-specific options include repeated four-month terms, 8- to 16-month Engineering co-op, 12 to 20 months in Science, and 4 to 16 months in Social Science.
University of GuelphOfficial co-op sourceSelected Business, Computing, Engineering, Environmental, Agricultural, and Science degrees.Mixed entryApply to the co-op version through OUAC; competitive in-course entry may be available after first year.Three to five work terms, depending on the program.
University of OttawaOfficial co-op sourceSelected Engineering, Computing, Science, Management, Arts, and Social Science programs.Mixed entryDirect entry is available for many eligible programs, with later applications possible in selected cases.Often about 16 months of experience; the first term and sequence vary by program.
Carleton UniversityOfficial co-op sourceSelected Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Business, Science, and Public Affairs programs.Mixed entrySelect co-op on the university application or apply later; eligibility is assessed after university grades.Entry point, required credits, CGPA, and work-term sequence are program-specific.
Ontario Tech UniversityOfficial co-op sourceParticipating Engineering, Computer Science, Commerce, Information Technology, and Science degrees.Direct entryDirect-entry co-op is available from high school for participating programs through separate OUAC choices.Three to five work terms can provide up to 20 months of work experience, depending on the program.
University of WindsorOfficial co-op sourceSelected Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Science, Kinesiology, and Arts programs.Mixed entrySelect the co-op degree when applying, or use a program-specific in-course application window.Many undergraduate co-op programs require three four-month work terms.
Wilfrid Laurier UniversityOfficial co-op sourceBusiness, Economics, Computing, Data Science, Arts, Science, and selected double-degree routes.Later entryMost students apply after first year for entry in fall of second year; some programs use different rules.Work-and-study sequences vary by degree; selected double degrees include mandatory co-op.
Brock UniversityOfficial co-op sourceSelected Accounting, Business, Computing, Economics, Public Health, and Science degrees.Mixed entryApply directly from high school, or apply after first year where limited in-course spaces are available.Three four-month work terms of at least 420 hours each plus a required preparation course.
Toronto Metropolitan UniversityOfficial co-op sourceSelected Business, Engineering, Science, Arts, Communication, and design-related degrees.Later entryMany optional streams use a competitive in-course application after first year.Program sequences can provide up to 16 or 20 months of experience.
Lakehead UniversityOfficial co-op sourceSelected Business, Computer Science, Physics, Engineering, Environmental, Kinesiology, Forestry, and Geography routes.Later entryStudents apply through mySuccess during a designated period and require faculty approval.Four-month terms; most undergraduate designations require four terms, while Business commonly requires three.
Laurentian UniversityOfficial co-op sourceComputer Science plus Chemical, Mechanical/Mechatronic, and Mining Engineering.Program-specificEligibility and application timing are set by the program; co-op is not university-wide.Paid placements can run from four to 16 months, with program-specific sequencing.
Nipissing UniversityOfficial co-op sourceBachelor of Business Administration co-op.Later entryFull-time BBA students in good standing can apply after entering the degree; admission is not automatic.Up to three paid terms after at least 24 BBA credits; each term is at least 12 weeks and 420 hours.

Co-op admission gives access to a structured job-search process; it does not guarantee a placement. Compare fees, location flexibility, job-search support, and the consequence of not securing a work term.

Download the 15-school Ontario co-op comparison

The CSV contains the same program examples, entry categories, entry details, work-term patterns, planning-guide paths, and first-party sources shown above. Verified August 1, 2026. You may reuse the comparison with attribution and a link to this page; official university information remains subject to its source terms.

Download co-op CSV

Often overlooked

Smaller Ontario universities with co-op options

A smaller university can still offer formal paid co-op, but the eligible degree list may be narrower. These examples are included in the full comparison above and link to their current official rules.

Lakehead University

Selected Business, Computer Science, Physics, Engineering, Environmental, Kinesiology, Forestry, and Geography routes.

Verify the official co-op details
University of Waterloo campus
Waterloo is one direct-entry model; other Ontario universities use later-entry co-op or a longer internship structure.

Ontario co-op models to compare

Waterloo is a direct-entry example: applicants select a co-op program on the university application, and routes can include four to six work terms. McMaster illustrates a mixed faculty model: Engineering can be selected through OUAC or added later, BTech is mandatory, and other faculties use their own application points. Queen's uses a long-form QUIP internship, while Western and Toronto Metropolitan University use later entry for many faculty-specific or optional streams.

Ottawa, Carleton, Guelph, Ontario Tech, Windsor, Laurier, Brock, Lakehead, Laurentian, and Nipissing also offer co-op in selected degrees. The useful comparison is exact program versus exact program, not a university-wide label.

Direct-entry co-op vs applying after first year

Direct entry provides earlier certainty about the stream, but the admission average can be more competitive. Later entry gives you time to confirm your interests, but admission may depend on first-year grades, completed courses, an application, and available space.

  • Ask whether a regular-stream applicant can transfer into co-op later.
  • Check the minimum GPA and whether meeting it guarantees consideration or admission.
  • Confirm whether co-op is mandatory, optional, or unavailable for your exact major.
  • Map every study and work term to see the real graduation date.

How to compare co-op quality

Employer counts and average earnings can be useful context, but they do not predict one student's result. Strong comparisons look at recent program-level employment data, job-board access, advising, geographic flexibility, work-term evaluation, and what happens when a student does not secure a placement.

  • Number and length of required work terms.
  • Co-op fees and whether they are charged during study terms, work terms, or both.
  • Job-search support, interview preparation, employer network, and access to external jobs.
  • Typical roles for your major rather than university-wide examples.
  • Rules for declining an offer, changing sequences, or withdrawing from co-op.

Co-op questions for international students

International students should verify that the exact program admits them to co-op and check the current federal placement conditions. As of April 1, 2026, IRCC says eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit for qualifying student work placements. The student must still meet the federal and university requirements; secondary-school co-op students follow different rules.

Also compare work-term location, housing between alternating terms, health insurance, travel, and whether a program's schedule affects post-graduation plans.

Official sources

Confirm current dates, rules, fees, and program details in these primary sources.

Written by Stellar Advisers Editorial Team · Reviewed by Official-source review desk · Last reviewed August 1, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to the questions applicants ask most often.